Cluj, Romania,
May 2009
Male and Female ups and uns.
Danube
Clouded Yellow, Colias myrmidone
Distribution: The butterfly is retreating rapidly eastwards having
become extinct in many European countries since the end of the 1990s: Germany,
Austria, Czech Republic, Poland except perhaps the extreme east, all but maybe
one colony in Slovakia and Hungary. This decline is often attributed to changing
land use as grassland habitat has to be lightly grazed to get just the right
grass length for the food plant. Too much/ too little grazing and the habitat
becomes unsuitable. The strong hold (only hold!) seems to be
Romania where there are several regions where the butterfly may be found.
Identification: The male upperside is a rich orange, distinctive even
in flight compared to the similar Clouded Yellow, Colias croceus. The
female has a very extensive band of yellow submarginal spots on the upper
hindwing.
Flight time: There are broods a year, early June and the end of
August.
Habitat: Dry hillsides with open flowery grassland usually amongst
open scrub. The food plant Cytisus sp. thrives in low but not short
grassland and is often common where found.
Behaviour: Flies powerfully over open grassland and amongst the scrub.
Males will patrol a certain flight path (see photos below) presumably hoping to
intercept females.
Cluj, Romania,
May 2009
Glimpses of the bright orange male upperside
Cluj, Romania,
May 2009
On the larval food plant, Broom sp., Cytisus sp.
Cluj, Romania,
May 2009
Cluj, Romania,
May 2009
Cluj, Romania,
May 2009
This male was patrolling a set route of about 50m length - we watched
him fly back and forth at least 30 times before we moved off.
Cluj, Romania,
May 2009
Habitats and larval Foodplants, including a depressing image of habitat
destruction.
